EquiCare Toolkit

Overview: The Institute provides on-site training and consultation for mental health care professionals, tailoring guidance to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism within organizations. These fee-based services are designed to enhance staff skills and improve patient care. Recognizing that many healthcare professionals lack training in building and managing diverse teams, the Institute equips organizations with tools to assess, develop, and sustain inclusive workplace cultures. Their training covers key topics such as health equity, social justice, diversity, inclusivity, race, and bias awareness. Additionally, the Institute conducts diversity assessments and supports workplace transformation by promoting an understanding of employees’ and patients’ diverse backgrounds, including culture, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and socioeconomic status.

Institute for Antiracism and Equity in Mental Health. (n.d.) Global diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training. https://antiracismandequity.com/

Overview: The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is a globally recognized nonprofit that has applied evidence-based quality improvement methods for over 30 years to address current and future healthcare challenges. IHI equips healthcare professionals with tools, resources, and strategies to improve care quality, safety, and equity. The organization facilitates knowledge sharing through expert convenings and peer-learning opportunities, while advising health systems and hospitals on improving outcomes at scale. IHI also offers career growth and professional development, including conferences, training programs (both in-person and online), and leadership programs such as the Leadership for Health Equity Professional Development Program. This program helps individuals develop tools, strategies, and goals to advance health equity within their organizations and teams. Additionally, IHI’s Open School provides interprofessional education to students, professionals, and organizations. Its virtual courses cover topics like quality improvement, patient safety, and health equity, offering certifications, micro-credentials, and continuing education credits. Access to over 30 courses is available through individual or group subscriptions, with flexible pricing plans.

Institute for Healthcare Improvement. (n.d.). Driving health care forward through insights and innovations. https://www.ihi.org

Overview: The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) offers a variety of training programs, including the Health Equity Education Series and the Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Mini-Series. These programs are available in both self-paced and live online formats and are offered for a fee. The Health Equity Education Series is designed to help NCQA accreditation customers advance their health equity efforts by building the infrastructure needed to sustain initiatives beyond achieving accreditation. The CLAS Mini-Series features three courses that focus on enhancing care and services to better meet the diverse needs of all individuals served.

National Committee for Quality Assurance. (n.d.). Health Equity Education Series. https://www.ncqa.org

Overview: The Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) is a national, nonpartisan organization advocating for better health and well-being for all Americans by strengthening primary care. Its mission is to advance comprehensive, team-based, whole-person primary care to improve health outcomes for patients and their families. PCC achieves this by bringing together stakeholders to support research, care delivery innovations, and payment models that drive systemic change. PCC also offers free online trainings and resources on key topics such as advancing health equity, whole-person care, team-based collaboration, person- and family-centered care, behavioral health integration, and care accessibility.

Primary Care Collaborative. (n.d.). Strengthening health and wellbeing for all Americans.  https://thepcc.org

Overview: The IPEC Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice were initially developed in 2011, updated in 2016, and most recently revised in 2023. Since their release, these competencies have been widely adopted across health professions, influencing both curriculum development and accreditation standards. The Collaborative provides a curated collection of core competencies and training events, offering a variety of teaching and learning resources on interprofessional education for collaborative practice. While not exhaustive, this compilation reflects a range of available resources.

Interprofessional Education Collaborative. (2023). Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competencies. https://www.ipecollaborative.org

Abstract: This paper outlines practical tips for inclusive healthcare practice and service delivery, covering diversity aspects and intersectionality. A team with wide-ranging lived experiences from a national public health association’s diversity, equity, and inclusion group compiled the tips, which were reiteratively discussed and refined. The final twelve tips were selected for practical and broad applicability. The twelve chosen tips are: (a) beware of assumptions and stereotypes, (b) replace labels with appropriate terminology, (c) use inclusive language, (d) ensure inclusivity in physical space, (e) use inclusive signage, (f) ensure appropriate communication methods, (g) adopt a strength-based approach, (h) ensure inclusivity in research, (i) expand the scope of inclusive healthcare delivery, (j) advocate for inclusivity, (k) self-educate on diversity in all its forms, and (l) build individual and institutional commitments. The twelve tips are applicable across many aspects of diversity, providing a practical guide for all healthcare workers (HCWs) and students to improve practices. These tips guide healthcare facilities and HCWs in improving patient-centered care, especially for those who are often overlooked in mainstream service provision.

Marjadi, B., Flavel, J., Baker, K., Glenister, K., Morns, M., Triantafyllou, M., Strauss, P., Wolff, B., Procter, A. M., Mengesha, Z., Walsberger, S., Qiao, X., & Gardiner, P. A. (2023). Twelve tips for inclusive practice in healthcare settings. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 4657. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054657

Overview: The guidebook to the Health Equity Curricular Toolkit begins with a two-part prerequisite introductory module, designed to provide a foundational understanding of health equity. Upon completing the prerequisite module, learners can delve into a range of critical topics, organized into three overarching categories: (1) Social Determinants of Health in Primary Care, (2) Vulnerable Populations, and (3) Economics and Policy. Each category offers a unique perspective to deepen learning. Additionally, an orientation video, “Orientation to the Health Equity Curricular Toolkit” (https://youtu.be/xPo3FXaYiio), is available to help users navigate and maximize the resource.

Edgoose, J., Davis, S, Atwell, K., Balajee, S. S., Bazemore, A., Bierman, A., Brown, J. L., Brown-Speights, J., Bumol, J., Carter, B. M., Chen, F., Covas, T. L., Derouin, A., Frank, B., Gottlieb, L., Green, R., Hatch, B., Hansmann, K. J., Hostetler, C., … Weida, J. A. (2018, updated 2020). A guidebook to the Health Equity Curricular Toolkit. https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/patient_care/everyone_project/health-equity-toolkit/hops19-he-guidebook.pdf  

Overview: Stigmatizing language, both written and verbal, can perpetuate implicit bias among health care professionals, negatively influencing patient care. To promote equity, it is essential for health care professionals and systems to recognize biased language and adopt inclusive alternatives. The American Medical Association Manual of Style offers standardized guidelines for using inclusive language across clinical practice, teaching, research, and writing. Key recommendations include using person-first language, avoiding generalizations and labels, providing specific details, and respecting the preferences of individuals or groups. The guide offers detailed advice on inclusive language for topics such as race/ethnicity, physical or mental conditions, sex and gender, sexual orientation, age, and socioeconomic status. By following these guidelines, health care professionals can reduce implicit bias, foster inclusivity, and address health care disparities more effectively.

Herron, C. R. (2021). Inclusive language matters: Recommendations for health care providers to address implicit bias and equitable health care. Journal of Maine Medical Center, 3(2), Article 9. https://doi.org/10.46804/2641-2225.1093

Overview: The TI-ROC tool is designed to help organizations assess their current milieu and identify opportunities to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. It provides valuable insights into training needs and supports process improvement efforts. The data gathered can guide leadership and staff in implementing training and modifications necessary to create safe and equitable work environments. The tool should be offered to all staff on a voluntary basis, with measures in place to ensure anonymity and protect the confidentiality of responses.

National Council for Mental Wellbeing. (2020). TI-ROC Climate of Equity Assessment. https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/resources/ti-roc-climate-of-equity-assessment

Overview: The Health Equity Curricular Toolkit, created by the Health Equity Team of Family Medicine for America’s Health and inspired by the Starfield II Health Equity Summit, represents a collaborative effort of nearly 40 health equity experts and educators from across the United States and Canada. This free, open-access resource is designed for the health care and medical education communities, offering a structured curriculum to address critical topics such as social determinants of health, vulnerable populations, and the influence of economics and policy on health equity. The toolkit provides practical resources to build skills for addressing the root causes of persistent inequities. While primarily tailored for primary care faculty, it is equally relevant to clinical and public health learners. Ultimately, it seeks to bridge gaps in medical education by fostering a deeper exploration of health equity, a topic often underemphasized in traditional medical school and residency training.

American Academy of Family Physicians. (2018). Health equity curricular toolkit. Health Equity Team of Family Medicine for America’s Health. https://www.aafp.org/family-physician/patient-care/the-everyone-project/health-equity-tools.html

Abstract – Background: Addressing health workforce cultural competence is a common approach to improving health service quality for culturally and ethnically diverse groups. Research evidence in this area is primarily focused on cultural competency training and its effects on practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviour. While improvements in measures of healthcare practitioner cultural competency and other healthcare outcomes have been reported, there are concerns around evidence strength and quality. This scoping review reports on the intervention strategies, outcomes, and measures of included studies with the purpose of informing the implementation and evaluation of future interventions to improve health workforce cultural competence. Methods: This systematic scoping review was completed as part of a larger systematic literature search conducted on cultural competence intervention evaluations in health care in Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand published from 2006 to 2015. Overall, 64 studies on cultural competency interventions were found, with 16 aimed directly at the health workforce. Results: There was significant heterogeneity in workforce intervention strategies, measures and outcomes reported across studies making comparisons of intervention effects difficult. The two main workforce intervention strategies identified were cultural competency training and other professional development interventions including other training and mentoring. Positive outcomes were commonly reported for improved practitioner knowledge (9/16), skills (7/16), and attitudes/beliefs (5/16). Although health care (6/16) and health (2/16) outcomes were reported in some studies there was very limited evidence of positive intervention impacts. Only four studies utilised existing validated measurement tools to assess intervention outcomes. Conclusion: Training and development of the health workforce remain a principal strategy towards the goal of improved cultural competence in health services and systems. Diverse approaches are available to increase health workforce cultural competence. However, the effects of interventions beyond practitioner knowledge and attitudes remains unclear. Assessment of practitioner behavioural outcomes as well as measures of intervention impact on healthcare and health outcomes are needed to build a stronger evidence base.

Jongen, C., McCalman, J., & Bainbridge, R. (2018). Health workforce cultural competency interventions: A systematic scoping review. BMC Health Services Research, 18, Article number 232. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-018-3001-5

Abstract: Racial/ethnic disparities have long persisted in the United States despite concerted health system efforts to improve access and quality of care among African Americans and Latinos. Cultural competence in the health care setting has been recognized as an important feature of high-quality health care delivery for decades and will continue to be paramount as the society in which we live becomes increasingly culturally diverse. Unfortunately, there is limited empirical evidence of patient health benefits of a culturally competent health care workforce in integrated care, its feasibility of implementation, and sustainability strategies. This article reviews the status of cultural competence education in health care, the merits of continued commitment to training health care providers in integrated care settings, and policy and practice strategies to ensure emerging health care professionals and those already in the field are prepared to meet the health care needs of racially and ethnically diverse populations.

McGregor, B., Belton, A., Henry, T. L., Wrenn, G., & Holden, K. B. (2019). Improving behavioral health equity through cultural competence training of health care providers. Ethnicity & Disease, 29(Suppl 2), 359-364. https://doi.org/10.18865/ed.29.S2.359